Applicant is aware of prior animal/bird houses having holes for access arrangements. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,631; Wade et al shows a double walled, insulated bird house comprising a back wall (18) that possesses an attaching mechanism (14); a second (16) having an access opening (32); two additional walls (20), a roof (40); a floor (84) comprising bottom access openings; a bottom support component (14′) comprising a metallic angle bracket which allows the house to be attached to an elevated surface such as a tree trunk at various positions; wherein the floor is configured such that it is capable of supporting a nest, and wherein the access holes in the floor allow for drainage from rain or melted snow. However Wade et al fails to disclose predator protection suitable for squirrels by providing a first access hole and a second access hole to allow a within-contained squirrel to escape from the house via an open access hole if a foreign animal attempts to enter the other access hole
U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,983 to Bette to shows a bird house with deployable fledging board comprising a back wall (10) that possesses top and bottom support attaching mechanisms (24) which are capable of attaching the housing to an elevated surface; a second wall (12) having an access opening (16); two additional walls (18, 22); a roof (11) having a low front end and a high back end and being supported along tapered top edges of the side walls; a floor (26) comprising bottom access opening (31) capable of allowing drainage from rain/or snow; wherein the floor is configured such that it is capable of supporting a nest; and wherein the walls of the housing may be made of plywood (col. 2, lines 37-42). However Bette fails to disclose predator protection suitable for squirrels by providing a first access hole and a second access hole to allow a within-contained squirrel to escape from the house via an open access hole if a foreign animal attempts to enter the other access hole
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,536 to BAKER discloses an animal playhouse suitable as a playhouse for cats including a housing having panels that are formed in a one-piece construction and that are movable relative to each other to a closed collapsed position, whereby the housing is conveniently stored or shipped, a plurality of interior deck members being located within the housing to define a plurality of spaced interior compartments, openings being formed in the vertical panels which communicate with the interior compartments to provide access thereto for a cat, and a locking construction for retaining the vertical panels in the open erected position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,017 to Cameron shows a exterior mounted housing for animal litter box. In particular to a housing mounted on the exterior side of a dwelling having a storage compartment for removeably holding a litter box. A hollow open-ended tunnel interconnects the interiors of the dwelling and housing respectively. The tunnel is rigid in a cantilevered position. A pivotal door in the side of the housing or enclosure permits access for insertion or removal of the litter box. A platform panel with a central hole separates a lower compartment of the litter box from an upper compartment.
It is noted that Cameron fails to teach predator guards including a predator guard mounted on the roof, an internal predator guard, an interior baffle to reduce access by a predator, and a roof guard comprising projections on the roof to hinder predator access from the roof, and where there is a separate exit hole for the nesting squirrel(s) to exit while a predator attempts to enter through a predator guard hole. Further, a major disadvantage of Baker's type of cat playhouse is that it is ill adapted for use when attached on a tree at an elevation of 10 feet. Furthermore the panels of the cathouse are not intended to be weather proof nor does it provide for predator guards including a predator guard mounted on the roof, an internal predator guard, an interior baffle to reduce access by a predator, and a roof guard comprising projections on the roof to hinder predator access from the roof, and where there is a separate exit hole for the nesting squirrel(s) to exit while a predator attempts to enter through a predator guard hole.
Applicant submits that the prior art fails to teach multiple predator guards including a predator guard mounted on the roof, an internal predator guard, an interior baffle to reduce access by a predator, and a roof guard comprising projections on the roof to hinder predator access from the roof, and where there is a separate exit hole for the nesting squirrel(s) to exit while a predator attempts to enter through a predator guard hole.